The bride and I recently returned from a couple weeks in Europe, the trip of a lifetime. We first took a Rhine River cruise downstream from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Then we remained 3 more days each in Amsterdam and Rome. While in Europe, my Cats in Art became a sort of quest for us and the others of our group, so the next few weeks here on Sundays will be focused on our kitty discoveries in the Old World.
Today's subject is from the ruins of the famous castle on the hill in Heidelberg, Germany:
Image credit Gary
Like last week's post from Amsterdam, this pair of lions has been guarding this gate for a number of centuries (from the 1500s, I believe). A plaque or coat of arms used to be between the kitties. but the French swiped it when they pillaged through the Rhine country in the 1600s.
These life-sized statues are unique (not mirror images of each other), and have great detail--especially the faces--if you enlarge the image. It is hard for me to imagine that these sorts of stone carving skills were somewhat commonplace back in the Middle Ages.
And for those of you who are not so partial to statues....I'll get back to paintings soon, I promise.
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